Pioneering carbon capture project turns to Spirax Sarco 10 September 2013

The carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at Ferrybridge coal-fired power station, in Yorkshire, has taken delivery of a steam-driven heat exchange system, from Spirax Sarco.

Project partner Doosan Power Systems process engineer Scott Hume explains that the steam system is one of the keys to the success of this project, which aims to develop large-scale technology to mitigate the environmental damage from burning fossil fuels.

Carbon dioxide wil be captured from the flue gas of major emitters, such as power stations, and stored, possibly by burying it in exhausted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers.

The Ferrybridge project is to demonstrate the 'capture" part of the process at a much larger scale than previous pilot schemes, using an amine-based solvent to absorb up to 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide per day.

Spirax Sarco's steam system is used to re-boil and regenerate the CO2 saturated solvent, for reuse, by stripping the carbon dioxide out under controlled high-temperature and pressure conditions.

Hence the steam system, and hence also Spirax Sarco, which has provided a skid-mounted solution.

"Spirax Sarco has an excellent reputation in dealing with steam and condensate management," says Hume.

"They supplied everything as a package, from the steam interface back to the condensate return line, including the heat exchanger. That simplified the scope of work for our team and it really helped."

In fact, Spirax Sarco supplied everything needed to make the steam system run smoothly, including safety valves, pressure reducing valves, steam traps, heat exchanger, condensate receiving vessel and condensate return system.

Ferrybridge power station is operated by SSE plc, which has worked with partners Doosan Power Systems and Vattenfall R&D to build the carbon capture pilot plant.

Brian Tinham

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